As a comic nerd, there are a number of arguments I keep having: The Thing can beat The Hulk, Batman cannot beat Green Lantern and the Legion of Super-Heroes is the best of all super-teams. Of course, there are TWO arguments about a particular Kryptonian that recur; the first is one of whether or not he’s boring (he is not) and the second is about whether Christopher Reeve was the greatest version of Kal-El ever. The question of which Superman is your Superman is a complicated one for me, enjoying as I do the old-school Fleischer Brothers version, Wayne Boring’s barrel-chested 50’s invulnerable dad and Danny Dark’s epic voice-over work from Superfriends, which leads us to today’s strange visitor from another query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) will always see the Curt Swan Silver/Bronze Age Superman as the real steel deal, asking: Which version (be it a particular actor, a particular artist or a particular voice) of the Man of Steel is YOUR Superman?
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Just as Kevin Conroy’s Batman is my definitive Batman, so too is the DCAU Superman voiced by Tim Daly my definitive Superman. To this day, when I pick up a comic and read the words spoken or thought by Clark or Superman, I’m mentally hearing the same voice that I hear on the various DCAU series.
However, there is a tie for close second between Christopher Reeve (particularly his first Superman movie, that one was pretty good), the painted Superman by Alex Ross (including the elder Superman of “Kingdom Come”) and the “Superfriends” Superman that I watched so much as a toddler.
Christopher Reeve. No question.
I was born in 1982 so I’ve seen a lot of different Supermen. I have great respect for the classic Christopher Reeve, I loved the Fleischer shorts when I was a kid and still enjoy them. But the Superman that has stuck with me, the first one I always think of is Dean Cain, from Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. I loved that show growing up, I watched every episode, it was must see TV. Even with all the Supermen there have been since, Dean Cain still stands out to me.
In my nearly 50 years of life I’ve seen several men portray the Man of Steel in action or in voice. From George Reeves right up to Henry Cavill. For the physical embodiment I’d have to go with Christopher Reeves. I was the right age when he made me believe a man could fly. As much as I liked the WB Superman animated series with Tim Daly’s voice, again I was the right age when Danny Dark (I never knew the voice actor’s name) voiced Superman in the HB saturday morning series.
It’s gotta be the DCAU Tim Daly version of Superman for me. My formative years being during Superman the animated series and Justice League airing on WBkids.
I also enjoyed Tom Wellings on Smallville. John Schneider being my favorite version of Pa Kent.
This is a complicated question. My comic book Superman is John Byrne’s version, because that started just at the right time, when I was 7 years old. My favorite live action Superman is Christopher Reeve and animated Superman is the Fleischer one.
But, best Superman book and my favorite traditional super hero story is all-Star Superman.
As a kid, I remember picking up various Curt Swan Superman. They will always be my favorite, though Byrne’s version is up there.
Definitely Reeve. Only the first two movies. The other two are a waste of celluloid.
Superman, the Animated series was great, but I will always have a soft spot fir Fleischer’s series.